Sikh Alleges Assault & Communal Slur by UP Police, Inquiry Ordered

A Sikh alleged he was assaulted, verbally abused and his articles of faith attacked by Uttar Pradesh Police in Agra

Gursimar Setia has claimed that an Uttar Pradesh police officer assaulted him and pulled his hair

(@GursimarSetia/Twitter0

A Sikh student Gursimar Setia has alleged that he was assaulted, verbally abused and his articles of faith attacked by Uttar Pradesh Police personnel in Agra on the evening of 6 June.

Setia, who studies at the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, claimed that the incident took place at 7.40 PM at Sanjay Place in Agra where had come with his friend to withdraw cash.

“Seeing two men, the police began harassing us....ASP Saurabh Dixit started verbally abusing me after seeing that I had long hair tied in a bun,” Setia claimed on Twitter.

Setia alleges that Dixit asked for his ID and after seeing that he was Sikh, began abusing him and “proceeded to physically assault” him and even pulled his hair. He claims that even his friend was assaulted by the police.

Now, uncut hair is an article of faith for Sikhs and attack on it is considered sacrilege.

“When I told him that he had outraged my religious sentiments and that I had taken note of his name from the badge he was wearing, he told me he is IPS and there is nothing I can do about it,” Setia wrote on Twitter.

The Quint reached out to Sautabh Dixit, the Agra Police Headquarters, and the Superintendent of Police for a response.

Dixit told The Quint that the “allegations are baseless”.

Responding to The Quint’s story, Agra Police tweeted that an inquiry is being conducted by a senior police officer.

Later on Sunday, Setia put out a statement saying that ASP Dixit has apologised for the incident following the intervention of senior officials.